This is probably the most quoted book on the history of the Shenandoah Valley. It was a landmark publication debunking the myth of self-sufficient farming in the Shenandoah Valley. Commercialism was an important part of Valley life. Modern scholars now realize what an important contribution this book was to the history of western Virginia. I have been trying to obtain a copy of this book for more than a year. If you are a serious student of Virginia history, this book is perhaps one of the most important studies of the Shenandoah Valley ever written. I would even be happy with a xerox copy of the book. rdmartin

This book explains the science and mathematics of "Wager Value" like no other. After reading this excellent book you will understand why the secret of handicapping is NOT determing the horse most likely to win and then betting on that horse (and you will learn Dick's number one rule... "no value, no bet"). As a student of probability I found this work top notch and consider it one of the most overlooked handicapping books ever published. ...it is worth every penny.

A beautifully illustrated and very comprehensive book. Easy to follow instructions and everything you need to know about patchwork, quilting and applique. A wonderful resource for creating great pieces of work.

This book is filled with terrific information for all types of cat owners and cat owners-to-be. The information is detailed but still very simple to understand. The author presents various options of what to do with your cat if your cat takes ill and guides you as to when a visit to the vet is necessary. The best thing about this book is that if you are a new cat owner and you really have no idea what is "normal" for a cat's behavior, this book will calm your nerves. I recommend it to everyone who either owns a cat or is about to. It is filled with valuable information!

This book covers all of the basics for how to conduct oneself in the business world. Office politics, dining, and social functions are all addressed. The wardrobe section is very helpful, as well. It offers sound clothing advice for both men and women. The women's section is noteworthy in that it gives women the freedom to actually dress like a woman in the office. Too many books of this sort pigeonhole women into the traditional black hole of a dark suit, round earrings, and sensible pumps. The dining section gives advice on being proper, but not stuffy, at the table. There is also a useful glossary on hard-to-eat foods. This book offers useful and practical tips for the seasoned executive and the young up-and-comer, alike. I recommend it to anyone in the business world.

Having practiced Reflexology professionally, I've always had an interest in all forms of bodywork. Because of its extensive coverage The Complete Illustrated Guide to Massage is best suited for two purposes: first, for those that are considering massage as a profession, and secondly, for those that wish to use massage therapy to its fullest for personal use. The Complete Illustrated Guide to Massage will benefit this second group by giving an understanding of all aspects of the treatments in an anatomical and psychological context, along with its many applications and benefits. With this background one can better incorporate massage therapy as a restorative and preventative medicine throughout his or her life.

The Complete Illustrated Guide to Massage is "text book" like in content, yet because if its illustrative format and organized layout, it is appropriate even for beginners. It is a book for beginners or intermediates that wish to gain a full grasp of the benefits of massage therapy.

The first third of the book covers the various types of massage, explaining the benefits, preventative applications, the physiological and psychological effects, case studies, diagnosis of some common complaints, and applications for illness, injury, and uses for children and the elderly. You'll move on to what to expect from the therapy, from the consultation through the treatment, from the ethical guidelines, to the appearance of the treatment room, how to locate a practitioner and how your records and history are prepared. Once you are thoroughly schooled in the preliminaries, the illustrated guide takes you through the anatomy of movement and the skeletal and muscle structure, further illustrating the various effects of massage. This more complex medical discussion is distilled down to a simple presentation with charts and illustrations that aid in the digestion of the anatomical aspects.

Next comes the Massage in Practice section, the application of what was learned earlier: use of the techniques and strokes on specific sections of the body. Also covered is the massage environment, the equipment, location, use of towels, oils, and powders. These are approached from both the massager and recipient's perspectives.

Special approaches such as shiatsu and inversion therapy are briefly described along with special applications for pregnancy, babies, and injuries. One section covers many applications of self-massage and a comprehensive reference section closes the book. Stewart Mitchell covers a vast territory that can be appreciated by those on varying levels of experience.

It might be difficult to locate but try hard to find this book. It ranges from farce to tragedy; and manages to include a mysterious romance, social commentry and Canadian football. It reads like a script to a future Coen brothers movie. Yet, never takes itself too seriously.

"Is that a real fire?" "Are you really gonna cook on that fire?" "Are you really gonna eat that?" These are just a few of the questions that I have been asked, being a Confederate reenactor for the past 7 years. I am always on the lookout for Civil War camp receipts (recipes) to try to improve the impression the public sees in our camp around meal time, and this book has helped to add greatly to that impression. Mrs. Mitchell has captured an outstanding collection of camp recipes that are easy to do at home as well as in the field. She has added some good information and spiced it up with a touch of humor. I have tried most of them and find them to be quite good. From Mock Apple Pie to Oyster Stew, they turn out good enough to rate a "Rebel Yell" from anybody that likes to eat well. I highly recomend this cook book to any reenactor,Yankee or Rebel who wants to put a little authenticity in his diet other than hardtack and beef jerky, and to anyone else who wants to try a taste of Confederate Camp Cooking. Happy eating! LTREBCAV@aol.com

I am a high school special education/alternative education teacher in Oregon, working with special needs youngsters. Contemporary's "Number Power 3: Algebra the Real World of Adult Math" by Bob Mitchell offers the teacher and students real life applications for algebra. And, as a bonus, the pages in this worksheet format booklet are laid out clearly, very clearly, and are easy for the student to negotiate. The worksheets give plenty and frequent opportunity for the student to respond. The students find the book engaging.

After a teacher and students uses this workbook, I doubt they will ever return to the old-fashioned, stodgy, irrelevant, hard-bound and boring algebra text books that are so common in most public schools today.

A breath of fresh air--I recommend "Number Power 3: Algebra the Real World of Adult Math" without reservation!

-John Bain

I consider this book to be the best on the market for teaching contractors how to use Peachtree. It is very clear and includes many illustrations, and is understandable by bookkeepers for whom English is a second language.

This book is noticeably thinner than its sister book "Contractor's Guide to Quickbooks Pro". This makes the book quite a bit more difficult to follow. The book assumes more knowledge of construction accounting than its Quickbooks sister. The job cost and billing sections are difficult to follow if you are not already familiar with construction accounting. If you do have a background in construction accounting, then these sections should be just fine.

This is a great book, but it is not for novices.